Suction cleaner



,May 15 1934-` w. o. LANGlLLE 1,959,167

SUCTION CLEANER Filed June 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MW 15, 1934 'w.'o. LANGILLE 1,959,167`

SUCTION CLEANER rma June 15, 1952 l a sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 15, 1 934 Wilfred 0. Langille, Cranford, N. J.,

assigner to.

The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, y N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 15, 1932, Serial No. 617.341 11 Claims. (Cl.\15,157)

This invention relates to suction cleaners of the ambulant domestic type adapted to be propelled to-and-fro by hand over a carpet or rug to be cleaned.

The invention has for an object to provide simplified, inexpensive and improved means working in 'conjunction with such a cleaner to disturb or loosen threads, hair, lint or other fine fibres and particles which may happen to be so firmly imbedded in the carpet nap that the air currents in the suction nozzle will not, without assistance, pick them up. l

Another` object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner with improved means for loosening and flufling up-a packed carpet nap Vwith a minimum of wearing friction on the nap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner with an effective thread, hair and lint disturbing device having a long life.

Still further, the invention has for an object to provide for the shifting of the device from an operative to an inoperative position. when its use is not required.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention cornprises the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood Aby those skilled in the art.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofa suction cleaner embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cleaner-nozzle. Fig. 3 Vis a perspective view of the supporting bracket for the wiper element. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the wiper element. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one end-portion of the wiper element shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section through the mouth of the cleaner-nozzle showing the working position of the wiper element on the backward stroke ofV the nozzle. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the position of the wiper element on the forward stroke of the nozzle. Fig. 10v

is a similar view showing the wiper element in its inoperative position, Fig. 1l is a perspective view of a retainer spring which may be used in conjunction with the main supporting bracket of the device, and Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10 showingthe retainer spring associated with the supporting bracket.

'not .too firmly 1 represents the usual suction-fan casing terminating in the downturned nozzle 2 having the main air-intake slot 3 and auxiliary air-intake passageways 4, 4 at opposite sides of the main air-intake slot 3. The casing l supports the usual electric motor l having an armature shaft 1b carrying the suction fan 1c which draws air through the 'intake-slot 3 and discharges it into the dust-bag 1d. The casing 1 is supported at its rear end on rollers, one of which is -shown at 1e, and is propelled to-and-fro over the carpet by the usual handle 1f. The nozzle 2 rests upon the carpet and is provided with upper and lower grooves 5 and 6 for the rubber bumper band '7. When the band 'l is in the lower groove 6, 70 as shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the secondary or auxiliary air-intake passageways 4, 4 are open and auxiliary air-currents are drawn downward- 1y through the passageways 4 and-caused to impinge upon the carpet nap and whisk or sweep l75 threads, lint or other line fibres and particlesx imbedded in the carpet nap into the main air-current flowing upwardly into the main slot 3,. By shifting the bumper 'l 'upwardi- 1y into the groove 6 the secondary air-passage- 90 ways 4, (may be closed, whereby all of the air passing upwardly into the mainv slot 3 is sucked upwardly through the carpet and dislodges deeply imbedded dirt and grit. i

A condition is occasionally encountered where 35 very fine fibres, such as kapok or rayon fibres, are so firmly imbedded in the carpet nap that the secondary or air-brush currents from the passageways 4, 4 which usually suffice for surface cleaning will not pick them up. To meet this extreme condition there is pro'- vided a thread-disturber or Wiper 8 pivotally hung from the fan-casing in rear of the nozzlemouth for. swinging and free bodilyA vertical floating movement under its own weight. This device wipes over the carpet nap and disturbs or loosens the fibres, hair, lint or other foreign matter imbedded therein so that such foreign matter will be pickedup by the air-currents.

The wiper 8 is preferably made of a strip of 100 rubber vertically slotted at 9 along its lower edge to form wiping teeth 10 and bound at its upper edge by a metal strip 11 of U-shaped crosssection having end-extensions bent to form alined cylindrical pivots 13 in the plane of the teeth 10. 105 The ends of the wiper strip 8 abut the inner ends of the'cylindrical pivot-extensions 13 so that such strip cannot slip endwise. I Y Screwed to the under face ofthe fan-casing 1 is a sheet metal supporting bracket including ing substantially upright and exerting its full weight upon the carpet nap. When the cleaner is pushed forwardly, as shown in Fig. 9, the wiper-top is tilted forwardly as its pivots fall to the bottoms of their U-shaped guide-slots afforded by the guide-walls 17, 18; the teeth 10 trailing lightly over the'carpet since the weight of the wiper is largelyfonentrated in the metal binding strip 11 near the pivots v1`3 which are resting in the bottoms oftheir respective sup- `porting slots at this time.- On the reverse or backward stroke the wiper, rises to its upright position, Fig. 8, wherein the pivots 13 are wellabove, .the bottoms of their supporting slots.

.The teeth 10 of the wiper are wider at their vfree ends than the slots 9, as shown in side elevation in Fig. 4. This feature eliminates toothmarks'on the carpet nap from the` wiping action of teeth 1Q, The secondary air-currents through the passageways 4, 4 also fluff up the carpet-nap followingN theA preliminary nap-loosening action lof the teeth 10; the combined alternate action of the wiper and air-currents being effective to loosen up a packed carpet nap with a minimum of wearing friction on the latter.

was

When it is not desired to use the wiper, it may be raised out of Iengagement with the carpet, and its pivots 13 snapped rearwardly over the L-shaped shelves or.. ledges 16 which are slightly springy and are spaced from the under wall of the casing 1 a distance 'slightly less than the diameter of the pivots 13 at their forward or .freeends where they are bent downwardly to form the vertical U-shaped slot walls 17. The spacing is increased to exceed the diameter of the pivots 13 adjacent the walls 15.

A thin spring-plate 20, Figs. 11 and 12, having at its ends the spring-arms 21 may be interposed between the main supporting bracket 14 and the cleaner casing 1. The spring-arms 21 are spaced below the casing 1 and overhang the supporting ledges 16 of the bracket 14. These spring-arms 21 yieldingly restrict the passageway for the pivots 13 over the supporting ledges 16 and prevent accidental displacement of the wiper from its inoperative position.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and relative arrangements of parts shown and de- A'scribed but""is susceptible of material modifica-4.

tion in the form, construction, and arrangement of its, parts within the spirit and scope of the in- "ventionf as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus set forth the nature of vention, what I claim herein is:-

1. The combination with a suctioncleaner of the inthe ambulant domestic type having a fan-casing and down-turned suction nozzle, of a wiper having downwardly extending wiping teeth and pivots at the ends of its upper edge supported for bodily vertical movement relative to said casing, means for arresting the downward bodily motion-.of said pivots as the upper portion of the wiper is tilted forwardly by the motion of the nozzle leading said Wiper, and stop means in the path of pivotal movement of said Wiper at one side only of a vertical plane through the wiper pivots for arresting the pivotal movement of the Wiper when the motion of said' nozzle is reversed, said stop means being disposed close enough to said vertical plane to arrest the pivotal movement of the Wiper with the pivots raised above said first mentioned means.

2. The combination with a suction cleaner of the ambulant domestic type having a fan-casing, a propelling handle, and a downturned suction nozzle terminating in a slotted mouth, of a tilting wiper having vertically oating pivots and mounted in rear and externally of said slotted mouth, means for limiting the down-motion of and for supporting the weight of said pivots when the cleaner is pushed forwardly, and a stop device disposed in the path of pivotal movement of said wiper and at one side only of a vertical plane through the wiper pivots and close enough to said plane to arrest the tilting movement of the wiper with the wiper-pivots raised above their lower limit of motion when the cleaner is pulled rearwardly.

3. In combination with a suctiony cleaner of the ambulant domestic type having a fan-casing and downturned suction nozzle, of a tilting wiper having pivots terminating in a mouth having an air-intake slot, the axes of which extend lengthwise of said slot, guides for said pivots secured to said casing, and supporting ledges for said pivots at the upper ends of said guides.

4. The combination with a suction cleaner of the ambulant domestic type having a fan casing and downturned suction nozzle terminating in a mouth having an air intake slot, of a tilting wiper having pivots, the axes of which extend lengthwise of said lslot, guides for said pivots secured to said casing, supporting ledges for said pivots at the upper ends of -said guides, and means for yieldingly retaining said pivots upon said supporting ledges.

5. The combination with a suction cleaner of the ambulant domestic type having a fan-casing and downturned suction nozzle, of a tilting -wiper having alined pivots, a bracket secured to said casing and formed with spaced arms having U-shaped portions constituting guides for said pivots, and stop means carried by said U- shaped portions and disposed in the path of pivotal movement of said wiper.

6. The combination with a suction cleaner of the ambulant domestic type having a fan casing and downturned suction nozzle, of a tilting wiper having alined pivots, and a bracket secured to said casing and having arms formed with L-shaped pivot-supporting portions and U- shaped pivot-guiding portions depending from said pivot-supporting portions.

7. The combination with a suction cleaner of the ambulant domestic type having a fan casing and downturned suction nozzle, of a tilting wiper having alined pivots, a bracket secured to sain casing and having arms formed with dependingl L-shaped pivot-supporting portions and U-shaped pivot-guiding portions depending from said pivot-supporting portions, and a springplate disposed between said casing and bracket and having spring-arms overlying said-depending L-shaped portions.

8. A bracket adapted to be secured to the under side of a vacuum cleaner casing adjacent the cleaner nozzle, said bracket having spaced U- shaped arms, and a wiper having at its opposite ends alined pivots freely received in said U- Y shaped arms.

10. A vacuum cleaner carpet-nap wiper comprising a. metal strip of U-shaped cross-section formed at its ends with extensions from the bend of the U bent into cylindrical form to constitute alined pivots, and a. rubber strip gripped between the opposed side walls of said metal strip.

11. A vacuum cleaner carpet-nap wiper com` prising a metal strip of U-shaped cross-section formed at its ends with extensions from the bend of the U bent into cylindrical form to constitute.r

alined pivots, and a rubber strip gripped between the opposed side walls or said strip, the ends o! said rubber strip abutting the inner ends of said cylindrical pivot extensions.

. WILFRED O. LANGILLE.v

f 1 I CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION;

f hm; Np; i, 959. 161.

' WILIIREI) 0.4

CLANCILLE.

my 1s, 1934.

it is hereby certified that errorappears in the printed specification oi the shove numbered patent requiring correcti on as follows: for "III' read The; and lines 104 and 105,

Page 2, line 101,v claim ofsame Claim, strike out the wordsftenninatng in a' mouthA havngen'air-intake slot," and insert the same aft'er "nozzle" in line 103; and that the said Letters these corrections therein thatpthef same may conform to lat`en .t;0ffi ce.y

Patent should be read with the record of the eue in fisigge .neglecting-19th ny of Inde, A. 11,192.4?.v

Bryan battey i Acting Commiss'oneroi Patents. 

